Nimbin's annual
MardiGrass is full of originality and this year visitors can hear
the global voice of marijuana music at the first ever Marijuana
Music Awards.
"As far as we know, this is the first of its kind"
said Tam, from Nimbin's Rainbow Cafe. Heats for Best Live Performance
will be held at the world famous cafe in the heart of the village
at 11am, 2pm and 5pm on Saturday, 1 May. "Already many bookings
have been taken," said Tam, one of the
organisers and creators of the event. "However we expect
most people to come and enter on the day. It's $10 per song and
you can enter many times if you want. All entry fees go back to
the winners, as well as many other prizes".
Winners of each heat on Saturday will be decided by a panel of
judges who also take into account audience appreciation. The three
winners will perform after the Rally on Sunday with the crowd
deciding the gold medallist.
The winner of the recorded Marijuana Music Award has probably
already been decided but also won't be announced until the Rally.
Entries closed on April 2 to give a panel of North Coast judges
plenty of time to decide.
Entrants for best recorded track included musicians from the UK,
USA, Canada and Australia, in total there were 37 entries.
Michael Balderstone from the Nimbin HEMP Embassy, co-ordinators
of MardiGrass said "One of the joys of this annual festival
is you never quite know what you're going to get in the mix until
the time comes, but this new event has sparked a lot of interest
and I'm sure it will be in the program
every year now".
"Just how much of our music in the last forty years has
come from people who inhaled? Or should we ask, how much didn't?"
he asked.
The internationally popular twelfth Nimbin MardiGrass and Cannabis
Law Reform Weekend kicks off next Friday evening at sunset and
has a packed program throughout the May1 and 2 weekend. Up to
10,000 people are expected to attend and visitors are asked to
be mindful of their impact on the tiny village, home of the endangered
species, hippie.
For Marijuana Music Awards call
Tam at the Rainbow Cafe 02 6689 1997
All other information
nimbin HEMP embassy
51 Cullen St
Nimbin NSW 2480
ph/fax 02 6689 1842
www.hempembassy.net
